Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-01-16
JOURNALISM.
Combination Required to
Produce a Daily Paper.
ORGANIZATION AND ROUTINE.
Chiefs of Departments and Their
Observation-Disclosures Neces-
saiy to Success.


A we'll organized newspaper force is
something like an army-or like divis-
ion or brigade, operating under inde-
pendent control of the commanding
General. This likeness is not fanciful.
To bear it in mind will prove useful to
the beginner, and this is the reason
why l wish to impress it upon him.
The individual writers who furnish
the matter composing single issue OF
a great daily newspaper are like soldiers
fighting battle, because each is doing
his part toward a certain result without
knowing much about what the rest are
doing at the same time. All of them are
under orders, but only the commanders,
or heads OF the force, are aware OF
the details, and they shape the whole
result, The writers are unlike soldiers,
however, in that they do not enjoy the
benefit of a special period of drill be-
fore entering the service. They have
to take the field at once alongside the
veterans and get their training from
actual duty there.
THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF.
Let us examine the organization of
which the recruit becomes a member.
A newspaper is divided into two general
.departments-edi and news. The
editorial department takes precedence,
because at the head is the editor.in-chief
of the paper. who is the commanding
general. We may talk of our republic
of letters; and we may assert with per-
feet truth that individuality of mind is
very valuable in subordinates, when
rightly controlled, and confined to its
appointed sphere; but good newspa.
per office is neither pure democracy
nor a model republic. 1t is an abso-
lutte despotism. The editor.ia-chief
must be an autocrat; and the head of
every division under him should be an
autocrat in that particular division.
EDITORIAL WRITERS.
The editorial department has staff of
editorial writer's, who hold the highest,
or, we may say. the most distinguished
rank of all, next to the editor. In some
newspaper offices there is chief edito-
rial writer, who leads the rest and has
discretionary power to print, exclude or
modify editorial articles written by other
members of the staff. A natural subdi-
vision is made among the editorial writ
ers, according to the special faculty de-
veloped in each. One will write mainly
on national politics; another on local
politics; third on political economy
.and finance; others on foreign affairs, or
on important sociological, scientific and
religious topics. There should be
man or two on the staff to furnish edito-
rial articles of lighter character, with
o dash of humor and satire; and some-
time literary diamond is unearthed.
with scntilations that cause him to be
known as "the funny man." The funny
man, OF course, may crop out in some
other department, and his contributions
may take form different from the title
editorial or the editorial paragraph; but,
however amusing he may be, he gener-
ally has TO do serious work as well. No
arbitrary subdivision can be maie; and
each editorial writer is expected to re-
spond to any demand upon him, outside
of his speciality, as the need of the day
may require.
Besides these men there are in the
editorial department literary, dra-
matte, and sometimes musical and an
art editor, who, in addition to their
critical work, may now and then con-
tribute paragraphs and title articles to
the editorial columns. Frequently the
art and musical editors are expected to
combine with their special work some
other regular function; but this is rather
a cheap than o truly economical meas
ure.
THE MANAGING EDITOR.
In the news department we find a
more complex arrangement. At the
head of it is the managing editor, who
is directly responsible to the editor-in-
chief. The managing editor must ar
range the details of getting news and
putting into the proper channels all
news matter which comes in, so that it
may be prepared for publication. He is
obliged to maintain a general supervision
of the whole paper, excepting the editor
ial page, acquainting himself with the
scope and quantity of the telegraphic
news, outlining the treatment OF newsy
subjects from all parts of the country,
keeping sharp lookout for copy for the
various departments, seeing that it is
supplied on time, and deciding whether
it is to go in at once or be postponed.
In this way he has large control of the
makeup" of the paper. frequently.
also, he suggests subjects for articles of
general interest or decides upon them
when contributed. The extent of his
authority in this direction depends some
what upon the disposition of the editor
in.chief, who may prefer to have these
matters submitted to himself.
THE LOCAL DEPARTMENT.
Under the managing editor, again.
comes the city editor, who has complete
charge of the body of local reporters.
OF these there may be, on q first. class
daily in a large city, from twenty to
ferty, or even as many as sixty. From
among them may be drafted certain men
to 60 out and report events in other
places. But there are also journalists
whose work, though involving the fac
ulties and duties of reporters function,
places them in a higher class than that
of most reporters. l mean the special
correspondents, who are sometimes
evolved, by natural or artificial selection,
from reporters; and, in other instances,
may never have acted as ordinary re-
porters at all. They, together with the
regular correspondents who are employed
in sending dispatches and letters from
numerous cities far and near, must act
in concert with the managing editor.
THE NIGHT EDITOR.
Naturally, neither this officer nor the
city editor can remain at his post both
day and night. 1t is, therefore, quite
common to have a night editor, who,
after the managing editor has left the
office, takes charge of the general max
ixn n n. diracts ON what naoa or in what